I'M ALSO DEEPLY TROUBLED BY SENATOR ASHCROFT'S EXPLOITATION OF
           THE RACIAL TENSIONS OVER DESEGREGATION TO PROMOTE HIS CAMPAIGN
           FOR GOVERNOR IN 1984. THE ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH REPORTED AT
           THE TIME THAT SENATOR ASHCROFT IN HIS REPUBLICAN PRIMARY
           OPPONENT WERE TRYING TO OUTDO EACH OTHER AS THE MOST OUTSPOKEN
           ENEMY OF SCHOOL INTEGRATION IN ST. LOUIS AND WERE EXPLOITING
           AND ENCOURAGING THE WORST RACIST SENTIMENTS THAT EXIST IN THIS

           STATE. "THE ECONOMIST" A CONSERVATIVE MAGAZINE, REPORTED BOTH
           CAN INDICATES RAN OPENLY BIGOTED ADS AND ASHCROFT CALLED HIS
           SUPPORTER A CLOSET SUPPORT ARE OF RACIAL INTEGRATION. EVEN THE
           DAILY DUNK LYNN DEMOCRAT A NEWSPAPER THAT SUPPORTED ASHCROFT
           APPEAL OF DESEGREGATION ORDERS, TOOK HIM TO TASK FOR EXPLOITING
           RACE IN HIS CAMPAIGN CREATING THE 194 CAMPAIGN TAS REMINISCENT
           OF AN ALABAMA PRIMARY IN THE 19 OO'S. ASHCROFT CLAIMED IN THE

           JUDICIALLY COMMITTEE THAT IMPOSING THE DESEGREGATION PLAN HE
           WAS MERELY OPPOSING THE COST OF THE DESEGREGATION THAT WAS
           BEING IMPOSED ON THE STATE. BUT ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS OF
           THAT CAMPAIGN, ASHCROFT REPEATEDLY ATTACKED THE COURTS AND THE
           DESEGREGATION PLANS FOR REASONS WHOLLY UNRELATED TO COST. EVEN
           GOING AS FAR AS CALLING THE DESEGREGATION PLAN AN OUTRAGE
           AGAINST HUMAN DECENCY, AN OUTRAGE AGAINST OF CHILDREN OF THE

           STATE. I BELIEVE, INSTEAD, THAT IT IS THE REPEATED LEGALLY
           UNSUPPORTABLE VIGOROUS OPPOSITION TO DID HE SEGREGATION THAT IS
           AN OUTRAGE AGAINST HUMAN DECENCY AND AN OUTRAGE AGAINST THE
           CHILDREN OF MISSOURI. FOR THESE REASONS I HAVE GREAT CONCERN
           ABOUT SENATOR ASHCROFT'S TESTIMONY AND HIS ACTIONS SURROUNDING
           THE ENTIRE ISSUE OF DID HE SEGREGATION. HIS ACTIONS AS ATTORNEY
           GENERAL OF MISSOURI LEAVE NO DOUBT THAT AT EVERY TURN, HE CHOSE
           TO WAGE AND NONSTOP LEGAL WAR AGAINST INTEGRATION AND

           DESEGREGATION. AND HE USED THE FULL POWER OF HIS OFFICE TO DO
           SO. THE QUESTION FOR SENATOR ASHCROFT AND FOR SENATORS ON BOTH
           SIDES OF THE AISLE IS HOW CAN IT MEAN ANYTHING FOR SENATOR
           ASHCROFT TO SAY THAT HE WILL ENFORCE THE LAW AGAINST
           DISCRIMINATION WHEN THIS RECORD SHOWS BEYOND ANY REASONABLE
           DOUBT THAT HE WILL GO TO EXTRAORDINARY LEVENGST TO DENY THE
           FACTS OF DISCRIMINATION. -- LEVENGST TO DENY THE FACTS OF
           DISCRIMINATION. SENATOR ASHCROFT RECORD AND TESTIMONY ON VOTER

           REGISTRATION LEGISLATION ARE EQUALLY TROUBLING. IN RESPONSE TO
           A QUESTION ABOUT HIS DECISION AS GOVERNOR OF MISSOURI TO VETO
           TWO BILLS TO INCREASE VOTER REG STATION IN THE CITY OF ST.
           LOUIS, HEAVILY AFRICAN-AMERICAN, SENATOR ASHCROFT TESTIFIED,
           "I'M CONCERNED THAT ALL AMERICANS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE.
           I'M COMMITTED TO THE INTEGRITY OF THE BALLOT. I VETOED A NUMBER
           OF BILLS AS GOVERNOR AND FRANKLY I DON'T SAY I CAN REMEMBER ALL

           THE DETAILS OF THEM. ACCORDINGLY I REVIEWED MY VETO MESSAGE AND
           RECALL I WAS ENCOURAGED UF URGED BY RESPONSIBLE LOCAL
           OFFICIALS. I ALSO ANTICIPATE THE SUPREME COURT'S RECENT
           DECISIONS AS I EXPRESSED CONCERN VOTING PROCEDURES BE UNIFIED
           STATEWIDE." A REVIEW OF THE FACTS SURROUNDING GOVERNOR
           ASHCROFT'S DECISION TO VETO TO THE BILL RAISES SERIOUS
           QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER HE IS TRULY CONCERNED THAT ALL
           AMERICANS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE. EASTBOUND THE EQUAL

           PROTECTION PRINCIPAL OF PELL RECENTLY STATED BY THE UNITED
           STATES COURT IN THE FLORIDA CASE, CANNOT BE RECONCILED WITH
           ASHCROFT'S ACTIONS. AS GOVERNOR OF MISSOURI, SENATOR ASHCROFT
           APPOINTED THE LOCAL ELECTION BOARDS IN BOAT ST. LOUIS COUNTY
           AND ST. LOUIS CITY. THE COUNTY WHICH SURROUND MUCH OF THE CITY
           IS RELATIVELY AFFLUENT. IT IS 84% WHITE, VOTES HEAVILY
           REPUBLICAN. THE CITY ITSELF IS LESS AFFLUENT, 4% BLACK AND
           VOTES HEAVILY DEMOCRATIC. LIKE OTHER ELECTION BOARDS ACROSS THE

           STATE, THE ST. LOUIS COUNTY ELECTION BOARD HAD A POLICY OF
           TRAINING VOLUNTEERS FROM NONPARTISAN GROUPS SUCH AS THE LEAGUE
           OF WOMEN VOTERS TO ASSIST IN VOTER REGISTRATION. DURING SENATOR
           ASHCROFT SERVICE AS GOVERNOR, THE COUNTY TRAINED AS MANY AS
           1500 SUCH VOLUNTEERS. BUFF THE NUMBER OF TRAINED VOLUNTEERS IN
           THE CITY WAS SEA ROVE BECAUSE THE CITY ELECTION BOARD APPOINTED
           BY GOVERNOR ASHCROFT REFUSED TO FOLLOW THE POLICY ON VOLUNTEERS

           USED BY HIS APPOINTED BOARD IN THE COUNTY BE THE REST OF THE
           STATES. CONCERNED ABOUT THIS OBVIOUS DISPARITY, THE STATE
           LEGISLATURE MASSED BILLS IN 1988 AND 1989, TO REQUIRE THE CITY
           ELECTION BOARD TO IMPLEMENT THE SAME TRAINING POLICY FOR
           VOLUNTEERS TUESDAYED BY THE COUNTY ELECTION BOARD AND THE REST
           OF THE STATE. DESPITE BROAD SUPPORT FOR THE REST BOTH OF THESE
           BILLS, ON EACH OCCASION GOVERNOR ASHCROFT VETOED THEM LEAVING
           IN PLACE A SYSTEM THAT CLEARLY MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR ST.

           LOUIS RESIDENTS TO REGISTER TO VOTE. AMONG THE JUSTIFICATIONS
           OFFERED BIFF ASHCROFT FOR THE VETOES WAS A CONCERN FOR FRAUD.
           EVEN THOUGH THE REPUBLICAN DIRECTOR OF ELECTIONS IN ST. LOUIS
           COUNSEL IT AT THIS WAS QUOTED IN THE PRESS AS SAYING IT WORKED
           WELL HERE, I DON'T KNOW WHY IT WOULDN'T ALSO WORK IN THE CITY.
           THAT IS HAVING THE VOLUNTEERS AND THE TRAINED PERSONNEL. THE
           VOTER REGISTRATION BILL IS -- WAS VETOED. NOW, THE ISSUE OF
           FRAUD AND VOTER REGISTRATION HAS ALSO BEEN ADDRESSED BY THE

           UNITED STATES SENATE SEVERAL YEARS EARLIER, WHICH CONCLUDED
           THAT FRAUD MORE OFTEN OCCURRED BY VOTING OFFICIAL ON ELECTION
           DAY RATHER THAN REGISTRATION PROCESS. IN FACT IN MISSOURI, IN
           1989, FIVE MONTHS AFTER GOVERNOR ASHCROFT'S SECOND VETO, A
           CLERK ON THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS ELECTION BOARD WAS INDICTED FOR
           VOTER FRAUD BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE, ROY BLUNT. ULTIMATELY
           THE REPEATED REFUSAL BY THE ST. LOUIS CITY ELECTION BOARD TO
           TRAIN VOLUNTEER REG STRARS, HAD A SERIOUS NEGATIVE IMPACTS

           OBJECT THE VOTER REGISTRATION RATES IN THE CITY. DURING SENATOR
           ASHCROFT'S EIGHT YEARS AS GOVERNOR, THE VOTER REGISTRATION RATE
           IN ST. LOUIS FELL FROM A HIGH OF 715% TO 59%. A RATE LOWER --5%
           TO 59%. A RATE LOWER THAN THE ST. LOUIS AVERAGE. THE TYPES OF
           BARRIERS TO VOTER REGISTRATION A BRIEFED BY GOVERNOR ASHCROFT
           ELECT BOARD IN THE CITY WERE EXPLICITLY CRITICIZED IN THE

           1980'S BY BOAT DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS IN THE CONGRESS. IN
           OCTOBER OF 1984 THE SUBCOMMITTEE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AND
           CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS HUGHES JUDICIARY COMMITTEE ISSUED A
           REPORT WITH THE
           
           FOLLOWING FINDING: THERE IS NO ROOM IN OUR FREE SOCIETY FOR
           INCONVENIENT ARTIFICIAL REGISTRATION BARRIERS DESIGNED TO
           IMPEDE PARTICIPATION IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS. WE DO NOT YOU
           WILL QUARREL WITH INCREASING REGISTRATION OUTREACH AND
           EXPANDING THE SYSTEM OF DENYIZATION TRAINING VOLUNTARY RENEL
           STRARS. THE CORE QUESTION AT ISSUE, SO WE HAD THE TWO VETOES.

           ONE WHERE WITH WE HAD A LIMITED BILL THAT WAS JUST TARGETED FOR
           ST. LOUIS WHERE THEY WERE GOING TO IN EFFECT HAVE TRAINING REG
           STRARS THAT THEY HAD LIKE IN THE COUNTY, AND ASHCROFT VETOED
           THAT AND SAID THAT IT WAS SPECIAL LEGISLATION, AND THEREFORE HE
           COULDN'T AGREE TO IT BECAUSE IT WAS JUST SPECIAL TO A CITY IN
           MISSOURI. AND SO IT WAS VETOED. A YEAR LATER, LEGISLATURE
           PASSED AN OVERALL PLAN FOR THE WHOLE STATE THAT ENCOURAGED THE

           APPOINTMENT OF TRAINING REGISTRARS SO IT WOULD HAVE APPLICATION
           TO THE CITY OF SLUICE ST. LOUIS. HE AUSTRIA TOAD THAT AGAIN
           BECAUSE HE SAID -- OF SBAUS HE SAID IT WAS TOO BROAD AND
           UNNECESSARY. THE RESULT OF BOTH VETOES WAS THIS DRAMATIC
           ADVERSE IMPACT IN TERMS OF BLACK VOTER PARTICIPATION IN THE
           CITY OF ST. LOUIS. TESTIFY SAME TIME THAT THERE WERE 1,500
           VOTING REGISTRARS GOING AROUND JUST OUTSIDE OF THE CORE CITY,
           THERE WERE VIRTUALLY ZERO AS A RESULT OF MR. ASHCROFT'S ACTIONS

           IN THE INNER CITY. AS A RESULT, THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION
           OF VOTER REGISTRATION IN AREAS -- THE REPUBLICAN, IN THE WHITE
           COMMUNITY -- AND THE BEGINNING OF THE COLLAPSE OF VOTER
           REGISTRATION IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY. THAT IS A DIRECT RESULT,
           AND I WILL SHOW IN JUST A FEW MOMENT, VIVIDLY THE CHART WHICH
           REFLECTS THIS. IN SUCH A COMPELLING WAY. NOW, MR. PRESIDENT,

           THE CORE QUESTION AT ISSUE IN THE RECENT FLORIDA ELECTION CASE
           WAS WHETHER DIFFERENT COUNTY-BY-COUNTY STANDARDS IN FLORIDA FOR
           DETERMINING WHAT CONSTITUTED A VALID VOTE WERE IN CONSISTENT
           WITH THE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE. SEVENS MEMBERS OF UNITED
           STATES SUPREME COURT DECIDED EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE REQUIRED
           THE APPLICATION OF UNIFORM STATEWIDE STANDARDS FOR DETERMINING
           WHAT WAS VALID. I THINK IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THAT WAY BY COMMON
           SENSE. BUT HERE WE HAVE THE OVERWHELMING STATEMENT OF THE LAW

           BIFF THE SUPREME COURT. AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK ALL
           AMERICANS WITH UNDERSTAND. BUT IT WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR
           SENATOR ASHCROFT. AND AS A RESULT OF THAT FAILURE, WE SEE THE
           DRAMATIC REDUCTION IN TERMS OF VOTER PARTICIPATION AND
           REGISTRATION IN THAT COMMUNITY. AND AT A TIME WHEN THIS WHOLE
           ISSUE OF THE ADEQUACY OF THE COUNTING AND INSURING THE SACRED
           RIGHT TO VOTE IT GOING TO BE PART OF OUR WHOLE NATIONAL

           DIALOGUE AND DEBATE ABOUT HOW WE ARE GOING TO REMEDY FOR THE
           EXTRAORDINARY INJUSTICES THAT OCCURRED IN THE PERIOD OF THE
           LAST ELECTION AND OTHER ELECTIONS AS WELL. IT WOULD SEEM TO ME
           THAT ALL CITIZENS WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT
           WHOEVER IS GOING TO BE ATTORNEY GENERAL THAT THEY ARE GOING TO
           PROTECT THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE. AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF
           IF YOU WERE SOME OF THOSE FELLOW AMERICANS WHO WERE BEING
           DISENCHAN FRIESED IN THIS LAST NATIONAL ELECTION AND YOU HAD
           THIS PARTICULAR RECORD OF MR. ASHCROFT, YOU WOULD WONDER

           WHETHER YOU COULD EVER GET A FAIR DEAL. AN ATTORNEY GENERAL
           THAT ALL AMERICANS HAVE A SENSE OF CONFIDENCE IN ABILITY TO
           HAVING THEIR VOTE COUNT AND COUNT FAIRLY. MR. PRESIDENT, A YEAR
           -- IN 1989. THE MISSOURI LEGISLATURE IN AN EFFORT TO RESPOND AS
           I MENTIONED TO GOVERNOR ASHCROFT'S CONCERN ABOUT UNFAIRNESS
           PASSED THE SECOND BILL, THIS TIME ADOPTED A UNIFORM REGISTERED
           TRAINING REQUIREMENT. YOU SEE THE WHOLE -- THIS PAST DEMOCRAT

           REPUBLICAN ALIKE IN THE LEGISLATURE. THEY SAID WELL, IF THE
           GOVERNOR IS GOING TO VETO IT BECAUSE IT IS TARGETED, WE WILL
           PASSION ONE OF GENERAL APPLICATION. AND THAT'S JUST WHAT THEY
           DID. CLAIMING THAT ELECTION AUTHORITIES ARE FREE TO PARTICIPATE
           WITH PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS. AND AS I MENTIONED WHAT IS
           TROUBLING IS THAT WE HAD A SECOND VETO BY THE SENATOR, THEN
           GOVERNOR ASH KFT CROFERT. THE VETO EFFECTIVELY ENSURED THERE
           WOULD NOT BE A UNIFIED STATEWIDE PROCEDURE, A RESULT THAT
           DIRECTLY CONFLICTS WITH THE EQUAL PROTECTION PRINCIPLES

           ANNOUNCED BY THE SUPREME COURT. THE FACTS ARE CLEAR. FOR AGENTS
           YEARS AS GOVERNOR, SENATOR ASHCROFT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
           ENSURE THE CITIZENS OF ST. LOUIS CITY, NEARLY HALF OF WHOM ARE
           AFRICAN-AMERICAN, WERE AFFORDED THE SAME OPPORTUNITY TO
           REGISTER TO VOTE AS CITIZENS IN THE REST OF MISSOURI. INSTEAD
           OF WORK BEING TO EXPAND THE RIGHT, GOVERNOR ASHCROFT AND HIS
           APPOINTED ELECTION BOARD IN ST. LOUIS CHOSE TO MAINTAIN
           INCONVENIENT AND ARTIFICIAL REGISTRATION BARRIERS THAT THE THAD
           THE PURPOSE AND EFFECT OF DEPRESSING PARTICIPATION IN THE

           ELECTORAL PROCESS PARTICULARLY BY AFRICAN-AMERICANS. NOW
           SENATOR ASHCROFT'S RECORD ON DID HE SEGREGATION AND VOTER
           REGISTRATION ARE RELEVANT TO HIS RECENT VISITS TO BOB JONES
           UNIVERSITY, HIS IN ININTERVIEW WITH SOUTHERN PARTISAN MAGAZINE,
           THE POLICIES OF BOTH BOB JONES UNIVERSITY AN "SOUTHERN
           MAGAZINE" REPRESENT INTOLERANCE, BIGOT FRIDAY AND WILLINGNESS
           TO TWIST FACTS AND THOSE ARE POLICIES THAT AMERICANS SHOULD
           REJECT. DISPLAYING AN EXTRAORDINARY LACK OF SENSITIVITY HE SAID

           HE WENT TO BOB JONES AND WAS INTERVIEWED BY THE MAGAZINE
           WITHOUT KNOWING THE POLICIES OF EITHER. EVEN IF THE THOSE
           CLAIMS ARE TRUE HIS COMMENTS DURING THE HEARING WITH DISTURB,
           THE. HE CONDEMNED SLAYRY AND DISCRIMINATION, BUT HIS F AL
           UNDERSTANDING OF CERTAIN INSTITUTIONS IN SOCIETY PERPETUATE
           DISCRIMINATION. SENATOR ASHCROFT IS UNWILLING TO SAY HE WOULD
           NOT RETURN TO BOB JONES UNIVERSITY. HE BELIEVES HIS PRESENCE
           THERE MAY HAVE OF THE POTENTIAL TO. IT WOULD BE A PAINFUL AND

           DIVISIVE JEST SKHUR. SIMILARLY ON SOUTHERN PARTISAN MAGAZINE HE
           WOULD ONLY SAY HE WOULD CONDEMN THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE
           CONDEMNABLE. SURELY THE MAN WHO WANTS TO SIT AS HEAD OF THE
           DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SHOULD SAY MORE AND DO MORE WHERE
           BIGOTTRY IS THE ISSUE. MR. PRESIDENT, ON THE ISSUE OF WOMENS
           RIGHTS SENATOR ASHCROFT'S RECORD IS EQUALLY TROUBLING. THE
           SUPREME COURT DECISION IN ROE VS. WADE A COURTER CENTURY AGO
           HELD WOMAN HAVE A F AL CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO DECIDE WHETHER
           TO HAVE AN ABORTION. THE COURT WENT ON TO SAY STATES MAY
           REGULATE THE ABORTION PROCEDURES AFTER THE FISCAL TRIMESTER.

           PREGNANCY IN WAYS NECESSARY TO PROTECTS WOMENS HEALTH. AFTER
           FETAL VIABILITY STATES MY PROHIBIT IN CASES WHERE IT IS NOT
           NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE WOMAN'S LIFE OR HEALTH. IN THE YEAR
           SIPS ROE V. WADE THEY HAVE STOT TO OVERTURN THE DECISION AND
           RESTRICT A WOMAN'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO KHUGS. SENATOR
           ASHCROFT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE CHIEF AGO TEBITS OF THAT STRATEGY.
           AS ATTORNEY GENERAL OF
{END: 2001/01/31 TIME: 12-15 , Wed.  107TH SENATE, FIRST SESSION}